Compassionate players and officials from New Zealand, South Africa, Argentina and Australia are looking for ways to send aid to their beleaguered northern brethren.
After the opening weekend of the 2016 SIX Nations saw standards of play so far below the heights reached by the likes of the All Blacks, Wallabies and Argentina in the World Cup, there is concern for the plight of the home unions, France and Italy.
“Did you see those matches?” said Keith Waters of the New Zealand Rugby Union. “It was so tough to watch. As a rugby man and a human being, how can you stand by and see Scotland trying so hard to score a try and not feel your heart torn asunder?
“Something needs to be done to help those guys. The rugby world can’t stand by and let people play like that.”
Concern was first raised in Auckland at halftime of the France – Italy match, where neither side were able to put together much coordinated, constructed play of any note.
Within 25 minutes of the Calcutta Cup match between Scotland and England, the unions of Australia and New Zealand had put in an emergency call between each other to discuss what action and aid could be considered to help their northern cousins.
“We had to check our television signal twice to make sure we weren’t getting a broadcast of a match from 1987,” said Waters. “Then, when we realised it was a live broadcast of an actual game from 2016, we checked to see if the pictures were being broadcast at the correct speed or being slowed down because they were coming all the way from space or something.”
It is believed Argentina and South Africa were unsure whether the situation was serious enough to intervene but changed their mind during the Ireland v Wales stalemate on Sunday.
“Once we saw the level of skill in a match between was the 2-times defending champions against the tournament favourites we had to get involved,” said CJ Botha of the South African Rugby Union. “The SIX Nations teams are harrowingly trapped in a previous decade of dull, slow and brainless rugby and I wouldn’t feel a true member of the rugby community if I didn’t help out somehow. It’s the poor fans I feel most for.”
It’s not yet clear how the southern nations will help the SIX Nations to rebuild themselves and salvage some dignity, but ideas include a Crowded House fund raising concert to pay for millions of pamphlets explaining in basic English what an offload is (complete with diagrams).
Argentina are believed to be keen on sending calendars reminding the European teams that it is actually 2016.
Waters added: “I can’t stand on the sideline and see Scottish 3-quarters puffing their little heart out and trying so hard but getting nowhere. It brings tears of despair to our eyes. We just want our friends in the north to know help is coming. We are there for you.”
theeastterrace
Wales 10/10 Scotland 34 min
Scotland line out and mauling their achilles heel tonight.
Scotland like terriers, they just need a couple of St Bernard’s to give them the muscle. They really get under the skin of the opposition.
Wales 10/13 Scotland. Halftime
Real pity Barclay didn’t spot Stuart Hogg on his left side,cause that would’ve been a try under the sticks.Quite a spark in this game and some brilliant touches/skills from both Wales and Scotland.Wales looked dominant in the early stages,but Scotland regrouped well from that early Welsh onslaught.
Can’t wait for the 2nd half to start…
@ provincefan:Yeah, could have made for a great try
Wales 13/13 Scotland 46 min
Wales 13/16 Scotland 54 min
Awesome covering tackle, Wales let that one slip.
game has deteriorated into a cacophony of errors. Wales must score now. Attacking 5m scrum.
Good try eventually by Roberts.
Wales 20/16 Scotland 64 min
Scotland the bridesmaids again? 12 minutes left, Wales throw in. Going to take a miracle. Always so close for the poor Scots.
Far, far too many handling errors
North oozes through 4 tackles like a greased pig. Too easy, and now, the score looks very one-sided.
Wales 27/16 Scotland 71 min
WP Nel lost 2 important balls now. Not helping the cause.
Jamie Roberts monsters Cowan straight to the sickbay
Another good dying try, this time to Scotland. Taylor. Scores looking better.
Wales 27/23 Scotland 79 min
Wales 27/23 Scotland. Final score. Bridesmaids again.
Very unfortunate for Scotland. Wales 1st try replays show offsides, and TMO should have picked it up, and but for a lapse and 4 missed tackles, they should have stopped the 2nd try too.
Well done Wales, good win.
Good match that was,a bit scrappy especially around the 55th minute.Amazing what dry weather can do for a game of rugby especially when both teams have a real go at it.France vs Ireland were probably impeded by the tempest and downpour.
Wales finishers made the difference and that George North try was the nail in Scotland’s coffin.Vern Cotter will have to work on Scotland keeping their structure in the last 20 minutes of the game.They came back and scored,but the North try was way to easy when he sliced through them at will.
PS…Elsewhere my Stormers beat the Argies 29-14,so well done.JD Schickerling also on the score-sheet,so happy for him.
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